Elections for the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) Athletes’ Commission took place at the 2021 IFSC Climbing World Championships in Moscow, Russia, with Olympian Shauna Coxsey MBE, of Great Britain, elected as President.

Voted into the commission as a member during the 2019 World Championships in Hachioji, Japan, Coxsey was subsequently selected as Vice President by fellow members, before being elected as President in 2021. Coxsey won the overall Boulder World Cup title in both 2016 and 2017 and has 30 IFSC World Cup medals, as well as two World Championship medals, to her name. The Brit bowed out from professional Sport Climbing with a commendable tenth place at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 this August. 

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When asked about her election as President of the IFSC Athletes’ Commission, Coxsey said: “After 24 years climbing, and over a decade competing as a professional athlete, I feel it pertinent to use my experience and give back to the sport that’s given me so much. I have long been passionate about being a part of the positive development of our sport. Having recently retired from professional competition climbing I have both the understanding of what it takes to be up on the stage, and the distance and perspective of now being on the other side of the fence. As well, I have also spent the last two years sitting on IFSC Executive Board as the Athletes’ Commission Vice President. There are lots of opportunities as well as challenges for our sport over the coming years and I am looking forward to working closely with the IFSC to make sure the athletes voice is at the heart of our sports development.”

Shauna on her last lead route at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Photo: Team GB / Same Mellish

Coxsey succeeded Canadian climber Sean McColl as President, who previously held the position after being elected during the 2016 edition of the IFSC World Championships in Paris, France. McColl will retain his seat on the commission as a member, alongside the newly elected Michael Piccolruaz of Italy, who replaces the Netherlands’ Jorg Verhoeven. Olympic bronze medallist Jakob Schubert of Austria, Anna Tsyganova of Russia, and Dmitrii Timofeev of Russia were all reconfirmed as commission members after their four-year terms following the 2016 elections drew to a close. 

The six athletes elected in Moscow, including President Shauna Coxsey, will join those elected in 2019 on the commission. A meeting is yet to be scheduled to select a Vice President, who will sit alongside Coxsey as athlete representative on the IFSC Executive Board. 

“Congratulations to Shauna Coxsey, one of our first Olympians, on her election as Athletes’ Commission President. I look forward to continuing our work together and bringing the voices of the athletes to the Executive Board,” said IFSC President Marco Maria Scolaris. “A special thanks goes to Sean McColl for the time he has dedicated to this position over the last years, and will continue to do so as a member of the commission.”

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The IFSC Athletes’ Commission is currently composed by the following athletes: 

Shauna Coxsey (GBR) – President, elected in 2021
Anna Tsyganova (RUS) – Member, elected in 2021
Charlotte Durif (FRA) – Member, elected in 2019
Dmitrii Timofeev (RUS) – Member, elected in 2021
Gregor Vezonik (SLO) – Member, elected in 2019
Ievgeniia Kazbekova (UKR) – Member, elected in 2019
Jakob Schubert (AUT) – Member, elected in 2021
Kokoro Fujii (JPN) – Member, elected in 2019
Kyra Condie (USA) – Member, elected in 2019
Michael Piccolruaz (ITA) – Member, elected 
Sean McColl (CAN) – Member, elected in 2021
Stanislav Kokorin (RUS) – Member, elected in 2019
Stasa Gejo (SRB) – Member, elected in 2019

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READ: GB Wins six medals at Paraclimbing World Championships 2021

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